Refrigerating apparatus



June 9, 1931. G. T. vooRHr-:Es

REFRIGERATING' APPARATUS Filed April 18. 1921 2 Sheets-Shet l June 9,1931. G. T. vooRHEEs REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed April 18,v 1921 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 9, 11931 GARDNER TUFTS VOORHEES, F BOSTON,MASSACHUSETTS REFRIGERATING APrARATUs Application led April 18, 1921.Serial No. 462,283.

- My invention relates to cooling processes and apparatus, particularlyfor maintaining ice cream in a fro-zen condition. VIts objects are tomake such process and apparatus effective and reliable and easy forcommercial use, transportation and installation. It consists mainly ofthel necessary elements and their combination and their method ofoperation and regulation in conjunction With a refrigerating system thatpreferably usesl a volatile liquid as a primary refrigerant and asecondary liquid, such, for y example as brine, as a secondaryrefrigerant. .The nature of the invention enables the secondaryrefrigerant to be cooled by the primary refrigerant and enables theprimary'refrigerant to be used and transported in a special apparatusalso adapted to have circulated therein the secondary refrigerant. Thesecondary refrigerant having units of apparatus for containing it andthe ice cream or substance to be cooled. All combined with means toautomatically control the circulation of the quantity of the primary andsecondary refrigerante and the temperatures thereof and to automaticallycontrol the starting and stopping of a refrigerating machine for theprimary refrigerant.

In the drawings Figs. 1 and 2 diagrammatically show a secondary coolingelement, Fig. 1 being a part plan of Fig. 2 and a part section, on lineC D of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 bleinga sectional elevationon line A B of Fig. 1;'Figs. 3 and 4 diagrammatically show tion on line A B of Fig. 3. Fig. 5is a part sectional elevation of the secondary cooling element of Figs.1 and 2. Figs. 6, 7, 8 show a special form of brine cooler Where Fig. 7is a sectional elevation on line A B of Fig. 6,

- and Figs. 6 and 8 are plan views of Fig. 7.

a primary cooling element, Fig. 3 being a plan of Fig. 4 and Fig. 4being a sectional elevation on lineA B of Fig. 13 and Fig. 13 being i aplan of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic part sectional elevation of the primary andsecondary cooling elements together with a refrigerating 55 machine'andvarious other apparatus.

In all the figures similar parts gener-ally have like letters or numberssometimes With different subscripts. f

In Figs. 1 and 2, 1 is an outer shell of any 6o desired material orshape but preferably of sheet metal and of cylindrical shape as thereshown. 2 is an inner shell of any desired material or shape butpreferably of sheet metal and of cylindrical shape as there shown. 3 is'an insulation between casings 1 and 2. 4 is an insulating connectionbetween casing 1- and an extension of, casing 2.

5 is a brine conduit connecting the up er and lower portions of casing2, said'con uit 70 may be of any desired shape or material but ishereshown as a narrow annular conduit formed by a piece of sheet metalfixed to casing 2. 6, 7 are conduits connecting with casing 2 having.any desired connectmg 75 means as half unions 8, 9. Conduits 6, 7preferably conduct brine into passage 5 and out of the inside of casing2 but could conduct brine in a reverse direction if so desired andpassage 5 could be shortened or 30 dispensed with if so desired. Thesecondary refrigerants level such as brine is maintained in any desiredWly in casing 2 preferably n near its top as at F lSuch a levelcontrolling means is shown and Will be described in connection withFigs. 12 and 13. t2 is one end of a thermostat of any desiredconstruction at any desired place in this secondary cooling element asfor example, in the brine as there shown. The upper part of casing 2 maybe provided with extension 10. 11 is a container of any desired shape,or material, preferably of sheet metal and of cylindrical sha e astherev shown having a` projection 12; an 11 may 95 contain any desiredsubstance to be maintained cool such for example as ice cream either inbulk or in the form of bricks or it may be used to contain a' coolingsubstance such as ice and salt or may be a cold reservoir, in which caseit may contain any desired cold substance such as cold brine or anysubstance having latent heat of fusion at any desired melting point suchfor example as a solution of brine of such a strength, as will have apredetermined melting point. shown, the space between casing 2 and can11 is made narrow to reduce the outside dimensions of this apparatus,but if desired this space could be made wide enough to contain ice andsalt and the outer casing 1 may be of any desired shape and may encloseseveral inner casings 2 and intermediate insulation 3 as will be clearto-those skilled in the art. 13 is a holding down means, engagingprojection 12 of can 11 and engaging lugs 14 preferably fixed toextension 10. 13 having lugs 15 which engage lugs 14 by revolving theirposition from that of 15a to that of 15 while pushing down on projection12 of can 11. 16 is a cover of any desired shape or material preferablyof insulation and preferably having a central cover 16a. 17 are screwshaving nuts 18 preferably set into recesses 19 from opposite faces of 4to clamp casings 1 and extension 10 of case 2, to insulator 4. Insulator4 being preferably made up of 2 layers of segments of wood 4a 4b thatmay be screwed or glued together.

The details of this construction are more clearly shown in Fig. 5, here10 of Figs. 1 and 2 is composed of angles 10a 10b and piece 10c fixed tocasing 2. 10o projecting to -form a pocket to prevent drip from fallingdown into casing 2 and also forming a guide for holdin down means 13.Conduit 6 being provi ed with a fiange 6a attached to casing 2. Casing 1havin angle 1a and piece 1b fixed thereto to orm its bottom and casing 2having angle 2a and piece 2b fixed thereto to form its bottom.

In Figs. 6, 7, 8 a is a casin containing a pipe coil b closed at each enc and hav.

ing conduits d e connected to said coil, preferably near its ends andhaving conduits f g connecting with 'casing a. A primary refrigeratingfluid such, for example, as vaporizing ammonia may circulate throughcoil b either downwardly through e and out of d or in a reversedirection or through d and e with Fig. 7 in a horizontal position asshown. A fiuid'to be cooled may circulate through casing a as throughinlet f and spiral spaces h j between casing a and eoil b. This .brinemay flow in the reverse direction as in through g and out ythrough f orthe primary refri erant may fiow through shell a and the spiral spaces jh and the secondary refri r ant may flow through the coil b. In igs. 6,7, 8, the material flowing through shell a flows in parallel through thevtwo spiralkspace's It j. Shell a ma be partl or entirely surrounded byinsu ation, or rine or'both. A modification of Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is shownin Figs. 9, 10, 11 where the spiral spaces h 7' act Asif material.

in series by having the shell conduits f g so disposed as to form aninlet and an outlet to the casing a and where strip lc and piece Zprevent communication of the inner and outer spiral passages in casinga. Here f were an inlet and g were an outlet then the fluid circulatingin casing a would go down the spiral h to m and up the spiral j and outof g.

The primary cooling element of Figs. 3 and 4 has an outer shell l and aninner shell 2 and insulation 3 and connecting wooden piece 4 and cover15 similar to those of Figs. 1 and 2. A brine cooler a b similar to thatof Figs. 6, 7, 8 having coil b is shown, inside of casing 2. is anautomatic expansion valve of 'any desired kind, preferably of the typethat maintains a pressure not to exceed a predetermined amount on itslowI pressure side. y is a brine pump of any desired type actuated byany desired means as by motor a having shaft al engaging shaft y1 ofpump y. Shaft al preferably sllppin out of shaft y1 when cover 16 isremoved and shaft y1 being preferably of an insulating t is one end of athermostat of any desired ty e as for example a bulb containing liquidO2 and havingatube 33. The primary cooling element Aof Figs. 3 and 4 isdesigned to be connected for transport and installation to arefrigerating machine by conduits 20 and 21 and to be connectable to thesecondary cooling elements `of Figs. 1 and 2 by conduits 22 and 23.lConnections 20, 21, 22, 23 preferably terminating in means for handyconnections such for exampleA as half unions. Conduit 24 is foroverflow. It is understood that brine cooler a b may be of any desiredtype or construction. The operation of the primary cooling element ofFigs. 3 and 4 as shown, is as follows.

A primary refrigerant fluid such, for example as li uid ammonia entersthrough conduit 20 an flows past automatic expansion valve w and from 1tvia conduit d to coil b and from it via conduit efand conduit 21 to therefrigerating machine. Valves 25 and 26 can be used to pump out oil orresidue in coil b by closing valve 25 and opening valve 26 and shuttingoff the supply of liquid to ex ansion valve rine from the secondaryrefrigerating elements enters throu h conduit 23 and is pumped via pi e27 y pump y and dischar ed throng conduit 28 so that by the regu ationof valves 29 and 30 any desired quantity of brine, up to the maximumcapacity of pump y maybe discharged through plpe 31 and conduit 'fthrough the spiral spaces of, brine cooler a b and out through conduit gand 22 to the secondary cooling elements. When pump y is not pumping itsmaximum quantity its surplus is discharged through .pipes 29, 32.

As the level of the brine may fiuctuatein casing 2, overflow 24 isprovided to dispose of it should it get above level C D. Should P therefrigerating machine fail to function the brine in the primary coolingelement of Figs. 3 and 4 may have cracked ice put into it to cool it. l

In Figs. 12 and 13, 7a is an inlet and 7b is an outlet and 7c is anoverflow; 7d is a stand pipe -that may be raised or lowered by screwingit in or out of 7 f by means 7 e to maintain different levels of brinein a secondary element having brine connection 7a thereto.

In Fig. 14 s1 s2 s3 s4 are secondary cooling elements similar to that ofFigs. 1 and 2 and p is a primary cooling element similar to that ofFigs. 3 and 4 and Z is a level cont-rolling element similar to that ofFigs. 12 and 13,-

and a b is a brine cooler similar to that of Figs. 6, 7, 8 is anautomatic expansion valve Y a brine pump and t a thermostat all asdescribed in connection with Figs. 3 and 4. 1' is a refrigeratingmachine here shown as consisting ofva compressor c and a condenser ddriven bya motor e. Refrigerating machine r could be replaced by anyother desired type of refrigerating machine, where if it were anabsorption machine," e and 0 would constitute a generator therefor.

Motor e can be electric as here shown orany r other desired type ofprime mover t, connects with thermostat bulb t or t2 and conx brinelevelling element Z. The

tains any desired means for starting and stopping motor e or itsequivalent, in case of an absorption machine.- The equivalent of motor ewould be the heating means for the' generator and might also be theliquor pump as will be clear to those skilled inthe art ,without furtherdescription.

al s2 s3 s., may all contain icecream to be cooled in cans 1 1 or eitherp or any of the secondar cooling elements as s1 have crushed 1ce andsalttherein, eitherl 'rectly in casing 2 or in can 11 or any can 11 mayhave cold brine therein, or a frozen brine' therein, as` for example ats2. Any can 11 may have bricks of ice cream therein as shown at s4. Asshown in F ig. 14 the refrigerating machine 7' motor e thermostat t1 andprimary cooling element p are all mounted on a base r1: This outfit -ispreferably charged with primary refrigerant and is disconnected fromsecondary cooling elements s1 s2 s3 84 ingelements s1 s2 s3 s4 arepreferably separately shipped and installedV and connected by unions u1u2 u8 'a4 a5 u fw, to include the preferred method of operation is asfollows, liquid ammonia flows from condenser d via pipe 2O and expansionvalve w to brine cooler a band from it via pipe 21 to compressor c. Thecompressor is actuated by motor e which is alternately started andstopped by means of thermostat t t, or t2 t1 by predetermined deforshipment and installation. The secondary coolsired high and lowtemperatures at t or t2. ump y being actuated by motor a or by .aflexible shaft as el or its equivalent from motor e or if so desiredpumpy could be actuated part of the time by motor z and part of the time byflexible shaft Z1 in which case motor a would preferably beautomatically controlled to start and stop by conjunction with t1,preferably having flexible shaft al actuate the pump y when motore wasrunning and having motor a actuate pump y when motor e was not running.

The brine in p bein cooled by they action of brine cooler a b an beingpumped from p through a b and out through g and then preferably seriatumthrough the secondary cooling elements s1 s2 s3 84 and out throughlevelling element I) where any surplus could overow through outlet 7c orall could flow through outlet 7 b back through pipe 23 to primarycooling element p.

It is obvious that when a can 11 is removed from casing 2 that the brinelevel in casing 2 will be loweredv and consequently, with pump y inoperation the brine level in p will also be lowered and when can 11 isreplaced in casing 2 the brine level lin p will be raised again. ySomeor all of the cans 1l could as in sa be ,fixed to casing 2 by extensions100?, then holding down means 13 could be dispensed with and if s1 s2 s3s4 were all equipped with 10d like sa then levelling means Z could bedispensed with'and a conduit could run directly from union M5 via 7 b tounion up If s0 desired one extra. can 11a .could be placed in each ofcans 11 as in s3 and the space /between can 11 and 11a could be filledwith any suitable liquid to insure good thermal contact between 11 and,11a and to prevent moisture from freezing them together. It is evidentthat sfsz sa s4 could be on the same level as p as shown or at a higherlevel with levelling means Zin use or could be on a lower level lwithcans provided with closed brine vcircuits by 10d as in sa. If so desiredpipe 23 could connect directly to the bottoms of p, in which case, iftherewere any brine in p it would be stagnant, or see were connectedA topipe- 27 and regulating valve 439\and conduit 40 were provided, then,brine discharged through pipe 32, could be drawn in through pipe 40, ormany other variations of thegflow and control of brine could be providedfor skilled in theart.

It is further evident that the brine from g could circulate in parallelFig. 4, if pipe 23 q and'connecting all of the outlets 7 of Fig.2to`lorto7b. w

If so desired some of this brine so circulated-could by regulation ofvalves 33, 34, 35 or 36, 37, 38 be used for any desired suppleas will beclear to thosev through al s 2 s3 .s4 by connecting. all of the inlets 6of Fig. 2 to erating machine 7' were out of commission for aconsiderable period lthen crackedy ice could be supplied from time totime in p or s1 or both 'and the resultant ice meltage thrown awaythrough overfiows 70 or 24 or both.

Owing to the intimate relation of this process and apparatusand theintimate relations of the dierent elements of the apparatus and thespecific individual relation of each element to the whole, I desire toclaim all collectively and separately in the broadest .possible manner.

What I claim is: l

l. In a secondary refrigerator the combination of two concentricmetallic cups and an insulating ring between and fixed to and joiningtheir open upper ends, insulation between their opposed surfaces, adetachable brine conduit to and a detachable brine conduit .from theinner cup.

2. In a secondary refrigerator the combination of two concentricmetallic cups and an insulating ring between and fixed to and joiningtheir open upper ends, insulation between their opposed surfaces, adetachable brine conduit for the upper portion of the inner cup and adetachable brine conduit for the lower portion of the inner cup. j

'3. In a secondary refrigerator the combiv nation of three concentrlcmetallic cups and faces of the two outer cups,

aninsulating ring between and fixed to and joining the open upper endsof the two outer cups, insulation between the opposed surtwo detachablebrine conduits for the middle cup the inner cup being removable from themiddle cup.

4. In a secondary refrigerator the combination of three concentricmetallic cups and an insulating ring between and fixed to and (lll Y nu

joining the open upper ends of the two outer cups, insulation betweenthe opposed surfaces of the two outer cups, two detachable brineconduits for the middle cup the inner cup being removably xed in themiddle cup.

5. In a secondary refrigerator the combination of two concentricmetallic cups each open at itsupper end the inner cup having `anoutwardly and upwardly extending extension near its top an insulatingring outside of and joining said extension to the inside of the outercup at its tor ,insulation between the opposed surfaces o said cups, twodetachable brine conduits for the inner cup.

' 6. The combination, with one or more secof a brine cooler, having aninsulated casing, having a brine inlet and outlet and a refrigerantinlet and outlet therethrough and a pump therefor, a conduit from theinside'of lthe casing to the pump, a conduit from the pump to the brinecooler, a conduit from the brine cooler to the brine outlet, a conduitfrom the refri the brine cooler and a conduit rom the brine cooler tothe refrigerant outlet.

7. An ice cream refrigerating apparatus comprising a primaryrefrigerator, having means for cooling brine therein, a plurality ofsecondary refrigerators each adapted for receiving and cooling an icecream can therein, detachable pipe connections between the secondaryrefrigerators and the primary refrigerator, means for circulating brinefrom the primary refrigerator through the secondary refrigerators andback again, thermostatic means for controlling the brine circulation,and means for controlling the brine cooling means.

8. In a refrigerating cabinet system, the combination of a main brinetank, .a cabinet separate from said tank and fitted with an auxiliarybrine tank and a food chamber extending into said tank and surrounded bythe brine therein, means including a pump for circulating brine from themain tank to the auxiliary tank and back again to the main tank, anelectric motor for driving the pump, electrically driven refrigeratingapparatus operable independently of said -pump motor and comprisingv anevaporator immersed in the brine in the main tank and a gas liquefier,connected with the evaporator, and means responsive to the temperatureof the brine in the main tank for starting and stopping the operation ofsaid liquefier and starting and stopping said pump motor.

9. lA refrigerated cabinet for food and the like comprising incombination a brine tank having a food chamber extending into it, meansfor vcirculating brine in the tank, a motor for driving said circulatingmeans, refrigeration apparatus noperable independently of said motorcomprising an evaporator immersed in said second brine of a second tankand a gas liquefier connected with the evaporator, and means responsiveto the temperature of the brine in the tank for starting and stoppingthe operation of said erant inlet to,

liquefier and starting and stopping the motor

